Zanzibar Coffee House
Zanzibar Coffee House is a small boutique hotel on Mkunazini Road in Stone Town's interior that operates a rooftop terrace doubling as a coffee bar by day and cocktail lounge by evening. The rooftop holds no more than 20 seats across a handful of tables with cushioned chairs, making it one of the most intimate venues in Stone Town. The space is decorated with local art, potted plants, and low lighting after dark. During the day, the terrace serves Zanzibar-grown coffee roasted on the island, which is genuinely good and a rarity on Zanzibar where most coffee is exported. In the evening, the menu shifts to cocktails, wine, and light snacks. The cocktails use local ingredients including clove, cardamom, and Zanzibar honey. The crowd is boutique hotel guests, food-and-drink-focused travelers, and the occasional Stone Town resident. With only 20 seats, the rooftop fills quickly in high season, creating an atmosphere that feels like a private gathering rather than a public bar.
What to Expect
You climb narrow stairs through a lovingly restored Stone Town building, past rooms decorated with Zanzibari antiques, to a small rooftop. The space is tiny, intimate, and carefully arranged. Tables are spaced for privacy. Plants and lanterns create the decor. The view is Stone Town's rooftops rather than the ocean, which gives a different perspective than the waterfront bars. The barista or bartender (often the same person) takes your order personally and remembers your name by the second visit.
Tiny, intimate, and unhurried. More private living room than public bar. The kind of place where you lower your voice instinctively.
Ambient, soft jazz, and traditional instrumentals. The volume is barely above a whisper. Conversation is the soundtrack.
No code. The intimate, casual setting means anything from linen resort wear to backpacker chic fits naturally.
Coffee lovers, couples wanting intimate evening drinks, travelers who've done the rooftop bars and want something different, quiet pre-dinner cocktails
Cash (TZS) and cards accepted. The hotel operation means payment processing is more reliable than at standalone bars.
Price Range
Coffee TZS 5,000-8,000, cocktails TZS 12,000-20,000, wine TZS 10,000-18,000 per glass, snacks TZS 6,000-12,000
Coffee ~$2-3.20 / EUR 1.80-2.95, cocktails ~$4.80-8 / EUR 4.40-7.30
Hours
Daily 7 AM to 10 PM (coffee from morning, cocktails from 5 PM)
Insider Tip
Come for coffee in the morning and return for cocktails in the evening. The spice cocktails (clove martini, cardamom old fashioned) are the unique offerings. With only 20 seats, high-season evenings fill by 6 PM. The staff are knowledgeable about Zanzibar coffee and will explain the sourcing if you ask. This is a quiet venue; don't come expecting a party.
Full Review
Zanzibar Coffee House operates in a space so small that calling it a bar feels inaccurate. It's a rooftop with 20 seats, some coffee, and some cocktails. And yet it delivers one of Stone Town's most memorable evening experiences through the simple formula of quality drinks in an intimate setting.
The coffee is the daytime draw and it's worth the visit alone. Zanzibar grows coffee but exports nearly all of it. Zanzibar Coffee House sources and roasts locally, producing cups that taste freshly roasted because they are. The espresso is strong and clean. The pour-over options reveal the beans' characteristics. If you drink specialty coffee, this is the only place in Stone Town that takes it seriously.
The evening cocktails apply the same ingredient-focused approach. The spice cocktails are the signature: a clove-infused martini that's surprisingly smooth, a cardamom old fashioned that balances sweet and aromatic, and a honey sour using local honey that has genuine flavor depth. The bartender (who is also the barista, and sometimes the manager) clearly cares about what goes into the glass.
The limitation is obvious. Twenty seats fills fast. During high season, arriving after 6 PM means waiting or finding somewhere else. There's no walk-in capacity when it's full. The rooftop views are Stone Town rooftops, not ocean, which is a deliberate trade-off for the interior location.
Compared to the Africa House sunset terrace or Mercury's waterfront, Zanzibar Coffee House offers a completely different proposition. It's quiet. It's small. The drinks are better. The view is less dramatic. The atmosphere is personal.
Travelers who find this place tend to come back every evening of their stay. That says more than any review.
The Neighborhood
Zanzibar Coffee House is on Mkunazini Road in Stone Town's interior, set back from the waterfront. The surrounding alleys are residential with a few small shops. The Hamamni Persian Baths (historical site) are nearby. The waterfront venues (Mercury's, Africa House) are 5-8 minutes on foot. Forodhani Gardens is about 7 minutes walking.
Getting There
On Mkunazini Road in Stone Town. Walkable from any Stone Town location. The building is marked with a small sign; look carefully on the narrow street. From the ferry terminal, it's about an 8-minute walk through Stone Town's alleys. No vehicle access. Use Google Maps or ask your hotel for directions.
Address
Mkunazini Road, Stone Town, Zanzibar
Other Venues in Stone Town
Mercury's
Named after Freddie Mercury, who was born in Stone Town. Waterfront bar and restaurant facing the ocean. Live music some evenings, cold beer, and a reliable tourist atmosphere. Beer TZS 4,000-6,000.
Tatu
Stone Town's primary late-night venue. A small nightclub below the Emerson on Hurumzi hotel with DJs, dancing, and a mixed crowd of tourists and locals. Entry TZS 10,000-15,000.
Africa House Hotel
Colonial-era hotel with a famous sunset terrace overlooking the Indian Ocean. The rooftop bar is Stone Town's most popular sundowner spot. Cocktails TZS 15,000-25,000.
Emerson Spice Rooftop
Rooftop dining and drinks atop a restored merchant house. Fixed-menu dinner with ocean views and cushioned seating. Reservations required. Dinner TZS 60,000-80,000 per person.
Livingstone Beach Restaurant
Waterfront bar and restaurant south of the Old Fort with beach seating, seafood, and live music on select nights. A relaxed alternative to the rooftop scene. Beer TZS 4,000-6,000.